Adhesive tape dispenser



NOV. 16, 1954 R, SCHAEFER 2,694,486

ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER Fil ed Dec. 12. 1951 1:15. 3 INVENTOR.

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annnsrvn TAPE DISPENSER Robert J. Schaefer, (Ihatham, N. J., assignor to Johnson & .lohnson, a corporation of New Jersey This invention relates to a container-dispenser for pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.

According to the present improvement, there Is provided a combination container-dispenser for pressuresensitive adhesive tape which maintains the tape clean and sanitary during storage, is economical to manufacture, and which nevertheless permits any desired length readily to be dispensed and severed with utmost facility even though the tape backing has substantial strength as in the case of cloth backed surgical adhesive plaster.

The invention may best be understood from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of one form of dispenser equipped with the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the dispenser shown m Fig. 1, but with the lid open;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the dispenser shown 1n Fi 1;

g ig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical cross-sect1on on llne 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged portion of the longitudinal vertical cross-section shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line 6--6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the inside of a cover having a different knife construction from that shown 1n Fi l;

l ig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a partial transverse sectional v1ew on llne 99 of Fig. 8.

The improved container-dispenser in its preferred embodiment may include a rectangular container havmg side and end walls 10 and 11 and a member 12 atttached to the lower edges of such walls which serves to close the container at the bottom. A roll of tape 13, preferably wound on a core 14, is mounted in the contamer on a cylindrical ring 15 which extends transversely through the container from side wall 10 to opposed side wall 10 which are provided with holes 16 of substantially the same diameter as the ring member 15. The ring member is secured to the side wall member 10, as by crimping, along the edges thereof defining the holes 16.

The container is closed at the top by a cover member 17, which in the embodiment shown, is hinged to one of the side wall members 10 near its upper edge. The cover member is formed with a depending flange 18 constituting an apron extending all around its peripheral edge and which, when the cover is closed engages all around the outer face of the container except at one end thereof as will hereinafter appear.

The cover 17 is equipped with a cutting element 19 made of flat resilient material suitably secured as by a rivet 20 to the inner or under side of the cover member 17 near its center. The resilient cutting member 19 is bent to provide a thin space between it and the under side of the cover sufiicient to accommodate a thin radially enlarged flange 21 of a button 22 whose radially smaller body portion extends up through a hole 23 in the cover member 17. The hole 23 is of a size such as just to accommodate the button, permitting it to move up and down freely in the hole without bindmg, but, of course, not as large as the flange 21, otherwise the button would fall out when the dispenser is upside down.

The cutting element 19 at an end thereof adjacent an end flange of the cover member 17 is bent down- States Patent 0 ice wardly substantially at right angles to form a flange 24 presenting a cutting edge 25 at its lower extremity. Normally and due to the inherent resiliency of the cutting element, the knife edge 25 is held upwardly close to the adjacent end flange of the cover member 17 Where it is confined within the area of the adjacent flange out of the way and in position to guard against inadvertently cuttilng She careless user both when the cover is open and c ose The end wall member 11 adjacent the knife edge is bent inwardly to present an upwardly inclined platform 26 whose lower end at the base of the bend is located at approximately the same position as the lower edge of the adjacent cover end flange. The length of the inclined platform widthwise of the container is preferably somewhat greater than the width of the tape as is also the length of the knife edge 25. Also, there are enclosed walls 27 at the ends of the platform connecting it with the adjacent container end wall.

To dispense a piece of tape, the cover is first opened, the end of the tape removed from the platform 26 to which it will have adhered since the previous dispensing operation, and the desired length of tape pulled off the roll. The tape is then brought down on the platform 26, the inclined walls having the tendency to direct a proper centering of the tape on the platform. The cover 17 then is closed and finger pressure applied to the button 22. This causes the knife edge 25 to press on the tape where it is supported on the platform (Fig. 6). With the tape thus held, the user who still is holding the end of the dispensed tape between the fingers merely draws it back against the knife edge, i. e., in a direction opposite to the slope of the platform 26. A clean sharp cut of the tape results.

A different form of knife construction is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9. The body portion 30 of the knife element and except for the end flange 31, rests throughout its area in facewise contact with the inner face of the cover member 32. An operating button 33 is pressed out integral with the body portion 30 of the knife element and extends upwardly through a hole 34 in the cover plate. The hole 34 conforms to the shape of the button, of course, which in this instance is approximately square.

About midway of its length, the knife element body portion 30 is provided along its lateral edges with a pair of fingers 35 extending outwardly and having their ends sunk into a pair of opposed recesses 36 formed in the lateral cover flanges 37 adjacent the line where it meets the cover 32.

Except as noted, the knife construction is otherwise the same as in the embodiment previously described. Pressure on the button 33 forces the knife edge against the tape during the cutting process. This pressure is resisted and the knife returned to its normal position by the reaction of the tail end of the knife member 30 (opposite the blade end) against the overlying surface of the cover with which it is in contact.

What is claimed is:

l. A container-dispenser for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a container having an opening through which a length of tape desired to be severed from the roll may be pulled, means in the container for supporting the roll of tape in a manner permitting its unwinding as the desired length of tape is dispensed through the opening, a platform disposed adjacent the container opening for supporting the unwound portion of the tape where it is to be severed, a cover for the container opening having a flange, a knife member secured to the cover adjacent its inner face and presenting a knife edge in close proximity to the cover flange and in position to overlie the platform when the cover is closed, and means operable from the exterior of the container when the cover is closed for pressing the knife edge in contact with tape supported on the platform so that the unwound portion of the tape extending beyond the platform can be severed by pulling it against the blade edge.

2. A container-dispenser for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a container having an opening through which a length of tape desired to be severed from the roll may be pulled, means in the container for supporting the roll of tape in a manner permitting it to be unwound as the tape is pulled through the opening, a platform disposed adjacent the container opening for supporting the unwound portion of the tape where it is to be severed, a cover for the container opening having a flange depending therefrom in the vicinity of the platform, a knife member secured to the container cover on its inner side and presenting a knife edge normally held by the knife member in close proximity to and above the lower edge of the flange, and means operable from the outside of the container when the cover is closed for pressing the knife edge against the tape resting on the platform, whereby as the tape is pulled against the knife edge it is sharply severed.

3. A container-dispenser according to claim 2 wherein the platform slopes upwardly in a direction opposed to the direction of pull on the tape when the tearing tension is applied.

4. A container-dispenser according to claim 2 wherein the knife member is of resilient material biased to hold the knife edge within the confines of the flange area.

5. A container-dispenser according to claim 2 wherein the cover member is hinged to the container.

6. A container-dispenser according to claim 2 wherein the means for operating the knife member from the out- 25 side of the container includes a finger button extending through a hole formed in the container cover operable to transmit finger pressure to the knife member.

7. A container-dispenser according to claim 6 wherein {)he finger button is formed integral with the knife mem- 8. A container-dispenser according to claim 6 wherein the knife member has laterally extending fingers sunk into recesses provided in the cover member.

9. A container-dispenser according to claim 6 wherein the knife member has a portion thereof spaced from the adjacent surface of the cover to accommodate the enlarged flange portion of a button whose smaller body portion projects through the hole formed in the cover.

10. A container-dispenser according to claim 9 wherein the knife member is riveted to the cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,722,766 Ruze July 30, 1929 2,080,052 Lemaster May 11, 1937 2,229,560 Froelich Jan. 21, 1941 2,304,312 Meglitz Dec. 8, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,167 Great Britain May 26, 1884 

